The Vandercook Lake High School boys golf team was not playing its best golf early in the season, but coach Paul Varner saw the potential in his young team.

A successful postseason run has landed the Jayhawks in the Division 4 state finals for the first time since 1970 and their first appearance under Varner, who is in his 10th season.

“The boys are real excited,” Varner said. “The most exciting thing is we’re playing our best golf now, and they’re realizing how good they can be.”

The Jayhawks finished tied for third with Napoleon in the Cascades Conference and grabbed the third and final qualifying spot in the regional tournament at Milham Park Golf Course in Kalamazoo with a team total of 346.

The Division 4 state finals will be Friday and Saturday at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, where the Jayhawks will compete in the 15-team field.

“We’re treating this as a reward for a lot of hard work,” Varner said. “It’s going to be a great experience. Hopefully we’re hitting our stride at the right time.”

Farther west, Lumen Christi will be looking to capture back-to-back state championships in the Division 3 state finals at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University. The last time the Titans teed it up at The Meadows was in the 2005 state finals, when they took third with a two-day total of 649.